To: Muriel Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia, Tommy Wells, Director, DC Department of the Environment, US Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ann Honious, Deputy Superintendent, National Capital Parks-East, Gopaul Noojibail, Superin...

Shepherd Parkway Call to Action

Shepherd Parkway is a 205-acre unit of the National Park Service which covers the hillside between I-295 and the neighborhoods of Congress Heights and Bellevue.

The park is home to two Bald Eagle nests, two Civil War forts, dramatic views across the city, rare plant species, and some of the oldest and largest trees in DC.

Unfortunately, the park has been polluted and neglected for decades. It is time to make it right.

We the undersigned residents and friends of Ward 8 in District of Columbia join together to assert our pride and ownership in Shepherd Parkway.

We seek equity in the form of a park that is as clean, accessible, and well-cared for as other parks in the Nation’s Capital.

We commit ourselves to the following:

•We pledge to volunteer our time and energy to remove the thousands of pounds of trash and debris that has accumulated in the park

•We will not engage in or tolerate littering or dumping in Shepherd Parkway or on our streets. When dumping does occur, we will contact U.S. Park Police and DC Department of the Environment and demand that they take action.

•We pledge to volunteer our time and energy to remove and control invasive plant species that are threatening the native ecosystem, including English ivy, garlic mustard, ailanthus, and kudzu

•We call on the National Park Service to dramatically increase the number of staff dedicated to the maintenance, improvement, and interpretation of Shepherd Parkway.

• We call on the U.S. Park Police and Metropolitan Police to increase patrols and enforcement in the picnic area near the corner of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Avenues SE, which is a frequent site of public drunkenness, drug use, drugs sales, and fights. The park should be a safe and welcoming space for everyone.

• We support for the construction of a network of hiking trails to make the natural beauty of Shepherd Parkway safely accessible for residents and visitors

• We call for the installation of new signs and trash cans around the edges of the park

• We call for recreational and educational programs such as concerts, guided walks, and community gardens to make Shepherd Parkway an integral part of the life of the community

• We support the creation of a scenic overlook to showcase one of the parks’ premier attractions

• We call on the Mayor, members of the DC Council, and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton to use their power to support the above goals

Why is this important?

It's time for the campaign to restore Shepherd Parkway to enter its next faze.